1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to recreational paint ball projectiles and related games and apparatus, more particularly to apparatus for supplying paint balls to paint-ball-projecting apparatus, and especially to a wearable accessory for carrying a container of paint balls while playing a paint ball game.
2. Description of the Related Art
A popular recreational activity has grown up around pneumatic apparatus for delivering at high velocity a small, soft, easily ruptured spherical pellet containing liquid paint. This pneumatic apparatus, commonly referred to as a xe2x80x9cpaint ball gun,xe2x80x9d a xe2x80x9cpaint ball shooter,xe2x80x9d or, preferably and with non-violent connotations, a xe2x80x9cmarker,xe2x80x9d comprises a tube, a chamber, a store of pellets, a loading mechanism for transferring a pellet from the store to the chamber, a reservoir of compressed gas, a valve for delivering gas from the reservoir to the chamber, and a trigger for operating the valve and the loading mechanism. The marker often resembles a side armxe2x80x94typically, a pistolxe2x80x94having a handle and a rudimentary sight. When the trigger is pulled, the gas propels the pellet from the chamber into the tube and the pellet exits the tube at high velocity. If the pellet strikes a solid object at high velocity, the object will be marked with paint.
This apparatus lends itself to a game of skill and team sport in which several persons, wearing safety devices to protect vulnerable parts of their bodies from being struck by speeding pellets, maneuver at some distance from one another, take cover behind objects, and attempt to score points by marking one another with paint.
The game is sometimes intensely competitive, requiring a participant to aim a marker at an opponent while pursuing, fleeing, dodging, or running for cover. During the game, a participant might discharge between several hundred and one thousand or more pellets. Because a marker typically stores a finite number of pellets, the participant must reload the marker. This is done by pouring pellets from a cylindrical reloading containerxe2x80x94known as a xe2x80x9cpodxe2x80x9dxe2x80x94into the marker. The pod has a snap-closed cap at one end and typically contains between 100 and 150 pellets.
With reference to FIG. 1, a conventional reloading supply belt 45 is worn around the participant""s waist. At least one loop 55 is attached to an outer surface of the belt. The loop 55 is configured to hold a pod 53 securely, capped end 75 facing downward, until the participant withdraws the pod 53 from the loop 55. The loop 55 is made of an elastic material. The loop 55 also has a flap 61 which is attached to the belt 45, extends beneath the capped end 75 of the pod 55, and is releasably closed by means of an attachment 67, 69 (typically a VELCRO(copyright) brand closure) to the loop 55, thereby preventing the pod 53 from falling out of the loop 55. In order to reload the marker, the participant releases the attachment 67, 69, grasps the capped end 75 of the pod 53, and withdraws the pod 53 from the bottom of the loop 55. In the heat of competition, in haste to re-engage an opponent, a participant after reloading the marker will toss the pod 53 aside rather than return it to the loop 55.
Having opened the flap 61 and discarded the pod 53, the participant becomes vulnerable to a competitive disadvantage which results from the way in which the game is played and from the behavior of the open flap 61 after the pod 53 has been withdrawn from the loop 55. Unless the flap 61 is re-attached to the loop 55, it will swing free and will project downward and rearward from the participant""s belt. Out of haste, or of forgetfulness, or because it is inconvenient or distracting to attempt to re-attach the open end of the flap 61 to the loop 55, the participant will resume playing with one or more flaps 61 open. It often happens that even when the participant has taken cover, the flap 61 alone projects into an opponent""s line of fire, affording the opponent a chance to score against the participant by marking the participant""s flap 61. According to the rules of the game, a point may be scored by marking any part of a participant""s body, clothing or equipment.
A participant in this developing sport would obtain a competitive advantage by having a pod-retaining flap which would not protrude when left open after the pod it held had been withdrawn.
It is an object of the present invention to provide for a recreational paint ball marker reloading belt a pod-retaining flap which does not protrude when left open after the pod it held has been withdrawn.
In accordance with these objects and with others which will be described and which will become apparent, an exemplary embodiment of the pellet supply belt in accordance with the present invention comprises a belt wearable by a person; a loop formed thereon, the loop defining an opening and being capable of receiving an object of a predetermined circumference; and a flap. The flap is securable in a first relation to the belt and to the loop wherein the flap restricts the opening to confine an object of the predetermined circumference within the loop, and displaceable to a second relation to the belt and the loop wherein the opening is passable to allow removal an object of the predetermined circumference from the loop. A retractor is so coupled to the belt and to the flap as to hold the flap proximate the belt when the flap is in the second relation to the belt and to the loop. In a variation on this exemplary embodiment, a VELCRO(copyright) brand closure system forms at least one attachment of the retractor to the belt.
In another exemplary embodiment of the pellet supply belt in accordance with the present invention, the loop is formed of a pliable material.
In another exemplary embodiment, the loop is formed of an elastic material.
In another exemplary embodiment, the flap comprises a flap base and the flap base, the belt comprises a belt bottom edge, and the flap base is attached to the belt proximate the belt bottom edge.
In another exemplary embodiment, the flap comprises a flap closure disposed distally thereon, the loop comprises a loop closure fasteningly engageable with and disengageable from the flap closure.
In another exemplary embodiment, the flap closure and the loop closure comprise a VELCRO(copyright) brand closure system.
In another exemplary embodiment, the retractor comprises an elastic material.
In another exemplary embodiment, the flap comprises an elastic material.
In another exemplary embodiment, the retractor and the flap are coupled so as to be in elastic tension when the flap, the belt, and the loop are secured in the first relation.
Another exemplary embodiment of the pellet supply belt in accordance with the present invention further comprises a ring medially encircling the retractor and the flap.
In another exemplary embodiment, the ring is formed of an elastic material.
In another exemplary embodiment, the belt comprises a belt top edge, a belt bottom edge, and a belt front surface, the retractor is proximally attached to the belt proximate the belt bottom edge, and the retractor is distally fasteningly engageable with and disengageable from the belt front surface proximate the belt top edge.
In another exemplary embodiment, the retractor is distally fasteningly engageable with and disengageable from the belt front surface proximate the belt top edge by means of a VELCRO(copyright) brand closure system.
It is an advantage of the present invention that a participant needs not attend to the re-closing of a pod loop flap after opening the flap and withdrawing the pod.